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UpNorthCountry
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38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
May 23rd, 2025 at 11:18pm
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“Doc Hudson” profile projectile. 
IE Lyman 375272
IE Accurate Mold 38-316H

Does anyone utilize this style bullet for off hand 200 yd shooting?  Any experiences ?
  
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marlinguy
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #1 - May 24th, 2025 at 10:52am
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I use this bullet in my Schoyen Ballard, and it's smaller brother the .32-40 version in another Schoyen Ballard also. Both are favorites of mine and shoot extremely well. 
They don't show up often, but I'd jump on one if you find one that's not collector priced!
  

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RSW
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #2 - May 24th, 2025 at 11:52am
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The various Hudson bullet designs are tried and proven performers. Important questions: are bullets cast from that mold suitable for YOUR rifle barrel. Is it the appropriate diameter for your groove diameter and is it the appropriate length for your rifling twist? Both of those are more important to accurate performance than the bullet's physical configuration.
Oh yeah, bullet alloy plays a role too  Wink
  

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There are indeed two Americas. Simply put, it is not the haves and have nots. The two Americans are in reality divided into those who do and those who don't.
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UpNorthCountry
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #3 - May 24th, 2025 at 11:55am
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Well that’s what I’m trying to figure out. 14” twist kreiger bbl.  But trying to figure out if it needs more throat to accommodate the bullet lands.
  
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #4 - May 24th, 2025 at 12:09pm
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Assuming you breech seat and the base bearing bands are about .001 (or so) over your groove diameter, just seat that bullet and give it a go. Overall length of the 375272 should shoot well in your 1:14 twist.
I would certainly give that a try before altering the barrel leade in front of the chamber. Many have successfully used Hudson bullets like yours without altering the leade.
  

Randy W
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There are indeed two Americas. Simply put, it is not the haves and have nots. The two Americans are in reality divided into those who do and those who don't.
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UpNorthCountry
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #5 - May 24th, 2025 at 2:57pm
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Well, the intention is breech seating, but I’m
Still
A Little confused about the concept. 
.376 should get me my .001 interference fit. Rifle will be a stevens 44 1/2 design. Where I feel
Stupid is, how do I know, then I use the dummy cartridge to cam the projectile into position, that the loaded cartridge lines up properly or seats in behind it in the right distance. Does the projectile end up back in the open mouth of the brass? I’ve shot a gun there I used a dummy round to breech seat a projectile, and then put the loaded cartridge in, and I know since it was on smokeless, there was open area in the round itself. But I was going to duplex on BP, and chances are I can set up a load where the projectile sticks out the proper distance to engage the rifling, while being held in by the compressed powder charge and wad stack under it. Am I missing anything ? Thanks.
  
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RSW
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #6 - May 24th, 2025 at 6:21pm
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Below are two illustrations from my book Loading and Shooting Traditional American Schuetzen Rifles. They show how far to seat your bullet ahead of the chamber. Hope it helps.
  

Randy W
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There are indeed two Americas. Simply put, it is not the haves and have nots. The two Americans are in reality divided into those who do and those who don't.
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UpNorthCountry
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #7 - Jun 1st, 2025 at 1:29pm
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Ok, but what about the space between your powder charge , wad holding it in, and the back of the bullet that is now well ahead of it ?
  
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #8 - Jun 1st, 2025 at 3:03pm
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I'd say that if you have a wad, it should be at the base of the bullet not on the powder. I just checked out two Hoch molds I have. One is a 378310, 311 grains with top bands at .367 and base bands at .377. The other is a 382305, 294 grains with top bands at .371 and base bands at .380. The first should be fine for modern .375 barrels and the second for original .379 barrels.
  
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #9 - Jun 1st, 2025 at 6:57pm
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Basically, the Hudson designs are nothing but a bore riding bullet, like the 311299 and 311332. The only difference, discounting the GC, is that on the Hudson, the bore riding nose has lube grooves and of course the nose profile but, they work by the same means. The bore ride portion aligns the bullet with the bore and the base bands seal it in the groove from the gas, as well as align the base.

In the case of the Hudson, the throats were suppose to be opened, in the same way as a freebore would do in more modern chambers but, the Hudson can be used accurately when breech seated w/o that relieved area or freebore area if, the base band is not to large.

In any case, the bore riding portion, needs to be .000 to .002 larger than the bore of the barrel and the base needs to be .001 or more larger than the relieved/freebore or the position that the base of the bullet occupies.

I've had great success with BSed, PB, bore riding bullets, such as the NEI 308191, in my 32/35. I've also has good results from shooting the Hudson bullet, fixed, in my original 32/40, 44 Stevens.
  

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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #10 - Jun 1st, 2025 at 7:30pm
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Yes, see accuratemolds.com 38-316H (on 3rd page of the 38s) and note that the actual diameters required can be specified.
  
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #11 - Jun 2nd, 2025 at 12:15am
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UpNorthCountry
A properly seated bullet is not "well ahead" of the case mouth. About 1/16" ahead of the case mouth is an appropriate starting seating depth.
Whether you are shooting with straight smokeless, duplex or straight black powder matters not. This is nothing new. Shooters commonly seated bullets like that back in the 1890s.
  

Randy W
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There are indeed two Americas. Simply put, it is not the haves and have nots. The two Americans are in reality divided into those who do and those who don't.
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #12 - Jun 4th, 2025 at 7:03pm
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UpNorthCountry wrote on May 23rd, 2025 at 11:18pm:
“Doc Hudson” profile projectile. 
IE Lyman 375272
IE Accurate Mold 38-316H

Does anyone utilize this style bullet for off hand 200 yd shooting?  Any experiences ? 


Over the past forty years I have on several occasions tested several different Hudson bullets in .32, .33 and .38 rifles. Some throated for the Hudson bullet and some not. Found the Hudsons to give nice round groups consistently but nothing spectacular. 

Noticed this thread the other day which got me to thinking about my latest Winchester which happens to have a Darr barrel with a long throat. Bore is 7 groove Schoyen style rifling. Barrel was made in 1977 and is coming close to 500 rounds through it. Then I remembered I bought a very nice like new Hudson Lyman mold a couple years ago. Cast a few bullets and they fit the Darr perfectly. Plan to do some testing soon when I have time. Will post my results here. Barrel is a # 4 full octagon 30 inches long. My current alloy is about 40-1. Think Doc used a hard alloy but not sure. 

For the average OH shooter I think the Hudson bullet will work fine.
« Last Edit: Jun 4th, 2025 at 7:08pm by westerner »  

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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #13 - Jun 5th, 2025 at 1:59am
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I found one of these molds in my mess, (375272) and I have a HW I just finished, (mostly) that now wears a BRC 1:12 twist barrel.  I'm going to use it next week and for a match the first of July, we'll see how it does.  Breech seated.   Best powder recommended? 4759? 
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Re: 38-55 “Doc Hudson” profile bullet lyman 375272
Reply #14 - Jun 5th, 2025 at 2:32am
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When I got into this sport, in 1985, 18.5 gr of 4759 was the go to match load for 38/55.
  

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